3 Teams that Love Drafting Badger Football Players

As the second night of the draft kicks off, a few Badgers are hoping to hear their names called. Running back Braelon Allen and offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini could be drafted as early as the third round. Wisconsin has had a total of 297 players taken in the draft since it began in 1936. So let's take a look at the three teams that have selected Badgers more than anyone else.

3. Steelers (15)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected 15 total Badgers, with their first draftee coming in 1944. One of their best picks was center Mike Webster in 1974, who went on to win four Super Bowls and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Their best recent pick came in 2017 when they took edge T.J. Watt in the first round. There was a lot of debate at the time about the pick, with many fans claiming T.J. was riding the coat tails of his successful brother J.J. That debate has been firmly put to rest after six Pro Bowls and a Defensive Player of the Year.

2. Bears (18)

Wisconsin's neighbor to the south, the Chicago Bears, have chosen the second most Badgers in the NFL with 18 selections. Their first selections came in 1943 with the most recent in 2011. Interestingly enough, despite being the team with the second most Badgers chosen, the Bears have only taken one in the past 30 years - offensive lineman Gabe Carimi.

1. Green Bay Packers (39)

With 39 Badgers taken in the NFL draft, the hometown Green Bay Packers have far and away selected the most in the league. Their first selection was in 1937. The most successful Badgers for the Pack have been offensive lineman Ken Bowman and Mark Tauscher. Bowman won two Super Bowls and is a member of the Packer Hall of Fame. Tauscher won one Super Bowl and is also a member of the Packer Hall.

Honorable Mentions

The Cleveland Browns may have drafted the most successful Badger in Joe Thomas. A Hall of Famer and one of the best tackles to ever play, he unfortunately never found himself with a very good supporting cast.

The Seattle Seahawks took Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 draft. He's a Super Bowl champion and a surefire Hall of Famer as well.

The Houston Texans took the best Badger defender to ever put on the uniform in J.J. Watt.